Ghana: Press spotlights performance of Ghana’s economy, others

The Finance Minister’s assertion that Ghana’s economy is on a promising trajectory towards stability is one of the trending stories in the Ghanaian press on Tuesday.
The Ghanaian Times reports that Ghana’s economy is on a promising trajectory towards stability, says the Minister of Finance, Mohammed Amin Adam.
Speaking at a press conference following the World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings in Washington D.C. on Sunday, April 21, 2024, Minister Adam highlighted the country’s robust economic progress and strong recovery.
One of the achievements mentioned by the minister was the significant reduction in the primary deficit. At the close of 2022, Ghana recorded a primary deficit of 4.3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
However, by the end of 2023, this deficit had shrunk dramatically to just 0.3 per cent, marking a four-percentage point decrease.
“This reduction in the primary deficit from 4.3 per cent of GDP in 2022 to 0.3 per cent in 2023 represents about a four percentage point decline,” the minister explained.
Anticipating further positive developments, the Minister expressed his optimism about Ghana’s economic future. He projected a surplus of 0.5 per cent of GDP by the end of the current year, with expectations rising to 1.5 per cent of GDP by next year.
“Progress is good, recovery is strong, and we are heading very quickly to stabilisation, which is what we need to generate growth,” Mr Adam stated confidently.
The newspaper says that Ghana will host the 14th Regional Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) of heads of an­ti-corruption agencies in Commonwealth Africa.
The programme, which would be held in Accra from May 6 to 10, seeks to promote collaboration among Commonwealth countries in combating corruption through knowledge sharing, capacity building and policy research.
It is being organised by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), which is expected to be attended by 120 delegates from 21 Commonwealth African countries and would be held on the theme ‘Strength­ening institutions and promoting transpar­ency: A means of fighting corruption in Commonwealth Africa.’
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, as the keynote speaker, will open the four-day event where the Vice President is billed to speak on topics such as digitalisation as a tool to combat corruption, signalling Ghana’s readiness to leverage tech­nology in its anti-corruption efforts.
The Executive Director of EOCO, Commissioner of Police (COP) Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo Danquah, made these known at a media engagement with the members of the Local Organising Committee of the conference in Accra on Friday to give the highlights of the upcoming event.
She said the conference was an annual event participated by member states to advocate and promote transparency and accountability, and build strong anti-corrup­tion mechanism in distinguishing through knowledge and mitigate corruption at all levels.
The Executive Director again noted that Ghana was hosting the conference for the second time and would have other stakeholders such as governmental agencies, civil society organisations, and international partners.
“Gabon and Togo are the new additions to the Commonwealth countries, so they are also joining from francophone countries,” She added.
The Graphic reports that the Managing Director of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Uzoechina Molokwu, says the bank has established a solid foundation that will enable to consistently generate value for its stakeholders in the upcoming year.
However, he noted that, achieving this goal will require continuous effort and a commitment to specific crucial factors, namely: Continuously harnessing technology and innovation to provide effective support to our business units and deliver excellent and swift customer service; Leading efficiency in processes and costs by streamlining all steps to offer faster, convenient, and seamless service to the bank’s valued customers, and ensuring value for money while minimising waste.
Delivering his address at the bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra, he said the bank is also poised to develop “our human capital by enhancing productivity through innovative talent and performance management, ensuring optimal utilization of our talented workforce; Uphold strict adherence to regulatory, internal control, and compliance policies with guidelines forzero tolerance for any violations; and establish and nurture strong relationships with key stakeholders across all levels.
I am highly confident that by excelling in these critical areas, meeting and surpassing our expectations will be inevitable
UBA continued its sterling financial performance trajectory in the 2023 financial year.
The bank noted to be one of the most resilient in the industry, posted a profit before tax for 2023 of GH¢276 million in the year under review.
This represents a whopping 203% year- on year increase from GH¢91.2 million recorded the previous year.
Total assets of UBA Ghana grew by GH¢1.7 billion to GH¢7.9 billion for 2023 representing a 28% increase despite the economic challenges.
The newspaper says that the Ghana Chapter of World Child Cancer, a not-for-profit organisation has organised a radiology training for healthcare professionals across the country.
Through collaborations with the Radiology Departments in Korle Bu and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospitals, experienced radiologists, radiologic technologists, and other healthcare professionals were recruited to serve as instructors and mentors for the professional training programme.
World Child Cancer Day highlights the essence of early and accurate detection by enhancing the proficiency and expertise of radiologists in interpreting medical images accurately and efficiently.
The Country Director for World Child Cancer in Ghana, Adwoa Pinamang Boateng Desu emphasised that the radiology training programme aims to equip professionals with essential skills for performing radiologic procedures and interpreting imaging studies effectively, thus facilitating prompt treatment.
She highlighted the significance of involving radiologists in early cancer diagnosis, emphasising the organisation’s commitment to addressing global disparities in child cancer care in Africa and worldwide.
“Early and accurate diagnosis is key in childhood cancer care and management. We involve Radiologists in this aspect because they help with the imaging. And all our efforts are geared toward addressing global inequality in child cancer care on the African continent and the World.
World Cancer Care has been in Ghana since 2010. The primary focus is to help healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills that they need to be able to diagnose childhood cancer early and promptly,” she said.
The training programme, she explained, would arrange for clinical rotations at major training centres to provide trainees with real-world experience in performing and interpreting radiologic examinations.
GIK/APA